


The (Not So) Epic of Bellamy Drake

by AryaStark22



Category: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-19
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-05-02 08:39:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5241869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AryaStark22/pseuds/AryaStark22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A rewrite of the Epic of Gilgamesh I had to do for a class. Figured someone might get a kick out of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The (Not So) Epic of Bellamy Drake

Bellamy Drake had always been an unusual girl. Growing up in 19th century England, there were certain expectations placed on people, especially for those in the upper class. Bellamy shunned these expectations openly, giving no regard to the multitudes of noble men and women who voiced their disapproval. When she was 12, Bellamy borrowed a set of riding clothes from her brother’s wardrobe and skipped her lessons for a day, opting instead to take her horse out for a long ride to explore the forest that extended behind the Drake family estate. Upon her return, the private tutor who came to give her and her brother lessons had a stern lecture prepared for her.  
“Ladies do not wear riding breeches, nor do they skip their lessons and ride around unescorted in the forest.” Bellamy could not have cared less, so she stuck her tongue out at him. He went red in the face and stormed away. Moments later he came back, followed by her father. “I will let her tell you what she did,” he said while glaring at her.   
Bellamy looked at her father and shrugged. “All I did was borrow some of Asher’s riding clothes. I am bored of my lessons, so I took Dancer out on an adventure.”   
Lord Drake looked at his daughter and chuckled. “Of course you did, darling. You didn’t make her jump anything did you? You know how dangerous that is.”  
“Of course not, daddy,” Bellamy replied with a grin. The look on the tutor’s face was priceless.   
Lord Drake then turned to the tutor. “I am sorry sir, but you heard my daughter. She is bored of your lessons. I cannot tolerate my children being bored of learning. We will no longer require your services.”  
The tutor, speechless and with mouth agape, stared at Lord Drake for a moment. He then walked out of the room without a word.   
This is how life went in the Drake home. Lord Drake never much cared for expectations either, and thus encouraged his children to do what interested them, within reason of course. Bellamy’s father allowed her to continue her studies while most young ladies her age were being courted by suitors. Some brave young gentlemen came around now and then, but none of them were nearly intelligent enough to be a match for Bellamy. She had no interest in being tied down by a man anyway. And so Bellamy grew up to be a noble lady with very un-noble habits and aspirations. One of these great dreams Bellamy had was to explore the unexplored. She had a real interest in geography and maps. She would often spend her free time sketching continents, placing stars on all the areas that had yet to be mapped in detail. Most often, she would sketch Africa. There was a region half way down the continent’s west coast that had not yet been explored or mapped in depth. An idea slowly formed in Bellamy’s mind, so she set to planning. She made a timeline, gathered a list of supplies, and inquired after ships. All that was left to do was present the idea to her father. She gathered all of the paperwork she had compiled and brought it to his office one evening.   
“Father, I have a proposition for you. I would like to go on an expedition to Africa.”  
“Let’s go then,” he said.   
Bellamy hadn’t dreamed it would be this simple to get him to agree. “You haven’t even looked at the papers I have compiled for this trip!”  
“I know you have done your research. You’ve likely already purchased half of the necessary items we’ll need. I have faith in your abilities, and I am interested in this expedition. I will fund it.” He smiled at her.   
Bellamy dropped everything on the floor, ran around her father’s desk, and gave him a big hug.  
Advanced preparations for the trip began in earnest the very next day. Lord Drake ordered the remainder of the supplies they would need. A small crew of men was hired to help them on their expedition. Ship passage was arranged. Bellamy’s excitement and anticipation grew exponentially as the days passed. By the time the departure day came, Bellamy was nearly bursting. She almost skipped up the gangplank of the ship, but she had just enough restraint not to do so. Once she made it aboard, she quickly perused their inventory and found everything had made it on the ship, and then she went to the balcony to watch the sailors begin the process of shipping off.   
The voyage was a lengthy one. Bellamy was more often seasick than not, which only made waiting to get to their destination worse. Once the ship finally anchored itself in the bay, Bellamy was just about ready to throw herself overboard and swim to shore. She somehow found the restraint to wait for the rowboat to be ready, but she wasn't patient about it. The ship's crew received a barrage of insults from the hot headed young woman before the small boat made it into the water. Once in the rowboat, those rowing were subject to a similar barrage. No one could move fast enough for Bellamy that day.   
Setting foot on a beach had never been as pleasurable for Bellamy as it was when the rowboat finally made landfall. She nearly started crying tears of joy, but was too caught up being in awe of everything around her for the emotion to take hold. She left her father and their crew behind and took off for the jungle. She made sure to grab a machete on her way. It was foolish enough to go alone, but going unprotected would not have lived up to Bellamy’s intelligence. She made her way quickly through the jungle, hacking vigorously at any vines impeding her progress. She didn't pay any attention to how far she had gone or the path she had taken. She was confident that she would easily be able to find her way back. She was the brightest person she knew, after all. She managed to hack her way into a clearing with a small, stream-fed pool. The water appeared pristine enough, so she knelt down to drink, laying the machete down on the ground next to her. She was mid gulp when suddenly she was forcibly knocked over by a large, dark object. It landed on top of her heavily. The violence of the blow caused her to momentarily lose her vision, so she assumed some large animal, like a panther, was on her. She began lashing out at it with her arms and legs, attempting to beat it off of her. As she landed blows on the creature, she realized it wasn’t furry. It certainly did not feel like a large cat. In fact, it felt remarkably like a person. As her vision became clear again, she saw that it was a person after all, though they were sleek and dark like a panther.   
“I demand you get off of me this instant!” Bellamy shouted at the person. Now that she could see fully again, it appeared this wild person was a woman.   
The woman looked shocked to hear words come out of Bellamy’s mouth. She stared at Bellamy with wide eyes and did not move. Bellamy shoved the woman off of her and quickly stood up.   
“Who are you?” Bellamy demanded. “Where did you come from? Why did you attack me?”  
The woman was still staring star struck at Bellamy. “You can’t understand me, can you? Well that’s just fantastic.” Bellamy walked back over to the pool and picked up the machete. She pointed it at the woman. “Don’t you dare attack me again. I am well versed in the art of fencing. I could kill you easily,” she threatened.   
More quickly than Bellamy could react, the woman leapt off the ground and charged her, knocking the machete out of her hand and shoving her up against a tree. The woman’s right hand was at Bellamy’s throat.   
“Don’t you dare presume to threaten me. I have survived in this jungle for years and faced worse than the likes of you. It is you I could kill easily, and without a weapon too,” the woman spat as she strangled Bellamy.  
Bellamy swung her left fist hard into the woman’s temple. The woman released Bellamy from her vice-like grip and stumbled backwards.   
“You can talk! How? I thought you were a savage,” Bellamy said in between gasping for breaths.   
“Yes, I can. I was on a slave ship en route from the cape to America when the ship suddenly sank. I was the only one to survive. I did not try to find my way to people because I feared being captured and sold into slavery again. And so I have lived here since that day,” the woman explained. “That is the reason why I attacked you. I do not wish to be someone’s possession.”  
“I do not wish to make you anyone’s possession, much less my own,” Bellamy replied. “I have always abhorred slavery and so has my father. We own no slaves now and never shall. Wait. You being sold into slavery on the cape does not explain why you can speak English. You also never made mention of a name. I assume you have one?”  
“Most of the others were not taught how to read or speak English, but the slave master saw potential in me and had me taught to be a scribe. I do have a name. It is Zahra. What do they call you? And if you are not here for slaves, what are you here for?”  
“My name is Bellamy Drake. I am from England. My father and I brought a crew here because I love adventure and it has long been my dream to map an unexplored region in detail.”  
“You speak of others yet I see no one but you here. Why would you journey into an unfamiliar place alone with only a machete for protection?” Zahra asked incredulously.   
“Why would I need anything other than my wits and this machete for protection? I am a strong, capable young woman and I do not need a man to guard me,” Bellamy replied indignantly.   
“You are a strange woman, Bellamy Drake,” Zahra stated, “but I think I like you.”  
“I could claim you to be just as strange as I, Zahra,” Bellamy responded, “but I believe I like you as well. I hope this means you no longer wish to kill me.” She smiled at Zahra.   
Zahra laughed and said, “No, I don’t think I will kill you anymore, as long as you don’t try to harm me.”  
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” said Bellamy. “In fact, I would like to work with you. Would you be willing to be my guide as I map this region?” She looked at Zahra expectantly.   
Zahra stared at her quietly for a few moments, then stepped forward with her hand outstretched. “It would be my pleasure, Bellamy Drake.” The two grinned at each other and shook hands.   
When Bellamy brought Zahra back to her camp, her father was a bit wary at first. But after Bellamy explained Zahra’s situation and after hearing from Zahra herself, he came to accept and even enjoy the jungle woman’s presence. At night after they set up camp following a day of exploring, Zahra would tell the Drakes about her tribe and her life before being captured and forced into slavery. Zahra was also an excellent guide. She took Bellamy around the entire region, showing her not only the land, but also explaining to her the flora and fauna they saw in their travels. Bellamy collected enough samples and made enough sketches to form an entire book on the region. The greatest few months of Bellamy’s entire life went by like this, with Zahra leading her around the awe-inspiring jungle. And as the days went by, Bellamy and Zahra grew from liking each other to loving each other fiercely. But like all things, it couldn’t last forever.   
One warm, sunny day Zahra and Bellamy were out alone, enjoying themselves by their favorite waterfall. They spent the afternoon goofing around and swimming. Once they had tired of that, they laid out on the rocks and talked about anything and everything. Eventually, Bellamy propped herself up on one elbow and looked at Zahra.   
“Zahra, what if I told you there was a way for you to rejoin society without being a slave?”  
Zahra opened her eyes and turned over to stare at Bellamy. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”  
Bellamy smirked, “Actually, I don’t think you’re expecting this, but go ahead and guess.”  
“Well I assumed you were going to ask me to come back to England with you and live on your estate. Is that not what you were going to say? You have me worried.” Zahra said, puzzled.   
“You are partially correct. I want you to come back to England with me and father to live with us. But I also want to marry you.” Bellamy looked expectantly at Zahra.   
The expression on Zahra’s face was a mixture of joy, disbelief, and shock. “I have never heard of such a thing. In your society, only men and women get married to each other. Did that change while I was living here?”   
“No, it did not change. Legally we would not be married, but I care not for legality. I know father will support me in this decision and that is all that matters. I love you Zahra, and I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. What say you?” At this point, Bellamy had moved next to Zahra and was down on one knee.  
“I say you are the craziest person I have ever met, Bellamy Drake. But I love you for it. I accept!” Zahra stood up and pulled Bellamy up off of her knee. They kissed and shared an embrace. It was the happiest moment of both of their lives. They pulled away, but continued to hold hands.   
“I can’t wait to tell father,” Bellamy said, beaming.   
Zahra opened her mouth to reply, but shouted instead and shoved Bellamy to the ground. As she fell, she heard a gunshot ring out across the clearing. She hit the ground hard but didn’t feel the impact. She watched Zahra, with a look of horror on her face. Zahra fell to her knees and looked at her. A red river of blood was flowing from a gaping hole in her chest. Bellamy scrambled to catch her as she fell. She eased Zahra’s body down onto her lap. Bellamy was crying as she never had before.   
“Don’t forget,” Zahra wheezed then coughed up some blood, “that I loved you until the day I died.”  
“And I will love you until the day I do,” Bellamy choked out. She gave Zahra a tender kiss. Zahra sighed and breathed no more. Bellamy clutched Zahra’s lifeless body against her own and sobbed until she lacked another tear to cry. She laid the body gently onto the ground, stood up, and turned to face the murderer.   
“I was wondering when you’d be done with all that,” the crewman named Amund drawled. “It isn’t proper for chattel to be kissing noble ladies.” He popped open the gun and removed the empty shell casing.   
Bellamy walked towards him with a purpose, picking up her machete along the way. “Nothing gave you the right to do that, Amund.”  
He looked up at her and scoffed. “Oh Miss Drake, what do you presume you’re going to do? You’re a woman. You haven’t got it in you to kill.”   
Bellamy walked up in front of him and stopped. Her heart was full of pain and her mind was set on revenge. “You’re right. I do not have it in me to kill a person. But you are no longer a person to me. You are a mere beast, and you have taken away my love. For that I will take away your life.” She lifted the machete high in the air and brought it down with as much force as she could muster. The blade struck where his neck met his shoulder and cleaved his body from there to his sternum. Amund had had so little faith that Bellamy would harm him that he had done nothing to shield himself. He stared at her dumbly as torrents of blood gushed from the massive wound. He was dead before he hit the ground.   
Bellamy did not feel the relief she expected to feel after killing Amund. She only felt empty. She looked down at herself. She was covered from head to toe in blood. Her legs lost their strength and she staggered, then fell. She saw her father sprint into the clearing and quickly come to a dead stop as he surveyed the scene. He saw his daughter, bloody and slumped on the ground. “Bellamy! Oh Bellamy what happened?! Are you injured??” he shouted as he rushed over to her.   
“My body is physically free from harm, father, but my heart will never heal. I asked Zahra to marry me and now she is dead.” Bellamy said these things with a blank face. Her chest had become a black pit of despair. She looked over at Zahra’s body and passed out.  
Bellamy did not remember much of the journey home. She spent the entire voyage in her cabin, leaving the bed only to relieve herself. She ate and drank only when her body absolutely demanded her to. She would not speak, even to her father. When the ship docked once again in England, she got up from the bed and dressed as if in a trance. She made her way off the ship and into the carriage to journey home like a zombie. Her father clambered in after her.   
“Is my Bellamy still alive in this seemingly empty body I see before me?” he asked her, looking sadly into her eyes. She did not reply. “Is this how Zahra would want you to act? Is this how you would want Zahra to act if it had been you who had died?” That stirred up the lingering pain in Bellamy. Lord Drake could see it in her eyes. “You cannot continue to think of how you could have saved her or how it could be different. The past cannot be changed. What’s done is done. Zahra is gone from this world, but you still have your memories. You can choose to cherish them or you can continue to torture yourself. But if you love Zahra as much as you claim, then you owe it not only to yourself but to her memory to stop wallowing.” He dug around underneath his seat for a few moments and brought out a book. He placed it in her lap. “You will always have this,” he told her. The book was made up of the samples she took and the sketches she made while on the trip. The very last sketch was of Zahra. She began crying for the first time since Zahra’s death.   
A year after they returned from their trip, Bellamy bought a willow sapling. She took it into the forest of her family estate and planted it in her favorite place - next to a small lake. The book she compiled from her adventures with Zahra had been published and won an award. She received a ribbon in mail to signify this accomplishment. She dug a hole in front of the small willow tree and placed the ribbon in there. She then took out a rolled up certificate. On it, it stated that Bellamy Drake had legally changed her named to Bellamy Zahra Drake. She placed that too in the hole, then covered it up. She spoke to the tree: “I will always have you with me. I will never forget.”


End file.
